London doctor to lead university cancer center LITTLE ROCK (AP) — A doctor from London has been tapped to serve as the new director for a cancer institute at the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences, replacing the center's founder and longtime leader, officials announced Tuesday. Dr. Gareth Morgan, 57, will succeed Dr. Bart Barlogie starting in July as director for the Myeloma Institute for Research and Therapy, a UAMS branch established in 1989 to research and offer clinical care o...

Man gets 11½ years for methamphetamine conviction TEXARKANA, Ark. (AP) — A DeSoto, Texas, man who pleaded guilty in western Arkansas to conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine has been sentenced to 11½ years in federal prison. Prosecutors say 42-year-old Claudie Miller Jr. was arrested in a methamphetamine distribution investigation that began in 2011. U.S. Attorney Conner Eldridge says Miller was identified as the primary source for the illegal stimulant in supplying the ring. Court records...

ACLU seeks injunction against voter ID law LITTLE ROCK (AP) — A civil liberties group asked a judge to block Arkansas from enforcing its new voter ID law while he considers a lawsuit challenging the requirement's constitutionality. The American Civil Liberties Union of Arkansas filed a motion for a preliminary injunction against the law, which requires voters at the polls to show photo identification before casting a ballot. The group and the Arkansas Public Law Center sued the state o...

US Sen. John Boozman out of heart surgery LITTLE ROCK (AP) — Arkansas U.S. Sen. John Boozman had unscheduled heart surgery Tuesday at a hospital in the northwestern part of the state, where his office said he was recovering well. During the night, Boozman, a Republican, had pain in his chest and an arm, which prompted the hospital visit. Doctors performed tests and decided to perform the surgery, according to his Senate office. Boozman's office didn't release what type of heart surger...

Cotton defends vote against farm bill NORTH LITTLE ROCK (AP) — Republican Senate hopeful and U.S. Rep. Tom Cotton defended his vote against the Farm Bill as he addressed the state's largest agricultural advocacy group on Tuesday, while U.S. Sen. Mark Pryor accused his rival of turning a "deaf ear" on Arkansas farmers. Speaking at a daylong candidate forum held by the Arkansas Farm Bureau, Cotton said he didn't believe the nearly $100 billion a year legislation he voted against in ...

Hospital opens new women's clinic PARAGOULD (AP) — A northern Arkansas hospital says it will open a new women's clinic to fill the gap in coverage for prenatal and post-delivery care in Paragould. Starting Monday, a new women's clinic in Arkansas Methodist Medical Center will be open for patients. Hospital spokeswoman Shay Willis said Friday that the hospital had been exploring opening its own women's clinic over the past week. Dr. Paul Becton, whose private practice is housed...

June groundbreaking planned for Osceola steel mill OSCEOLA (AP) — Groundbreaking on a planned $1.1 billion steel mill in northeast Arkansas is expected to take place in late June. Big River Steel CEO John Correnti tells the Blytheville Courier News (http://bit.ly/1nusZGx ) that he expects to finalize financing in mid-June with a groundbreaking to occur later that month. Construction on the project had been stalled after Nucor Steel challenged Big River's air-quality permit, saying the plant di...

Arkansas unemployment rate dips below 7 percent LITTLE ROCK (AP) — State officials say Arkansas' unemployment rate has dropped below 7 percent for the first time in more than five years. The Arkansas Department of Workforce Services says the state's unemployment rate dropped to 6.9 percent in March, down from 7.1 percent in February. Agency spokeswoman Becky Heflin says it's the first time Arkansas' jobless rate has been below 7 percent since January 2009. All major industry sectors posted ...

1 killed, 2 hurt in Interstate 40 crash WEST MEMPHIS, Ark. (AP) — Authorities say one person was killed and two others injured in a crash on Interstate 40 in east Arkansas. Arkansas State Police say the wreck happened early Friday at the 270 mile marker in Crittenden County. According to a preliminary report, Jerry White, 57, of Memphis, Tenn., was killed when his SUV crossed the median and flipped over. State police say White was pronounced dead at the scene. Two passengers in his ...

Shoe company laying off 56 workers in Hot Springs HOT SPRINGS (AP) — Citing competition in the industry, a Hot Springs shoe manufacturer has announced plans to lay off more than half of its workforce at its Lake Catherine Footwear facility, leaving 56 people out of work. Munro & Co. said Thursday that the first round of layoffs will happen in June with a second round occurring in July. The company produces the Munro American line of women's footwear and also imports shoes, including the Jumpi...

US agency to reopen public comment on mussels LITTLE ROCK (AP) — The U.S. Fish and Wildlife service says it will reopen a public comment period on a proposed critical habitat and a draft economic analysis about two mussel species found in 13 states, including Arkansas. The two threatened species are the Rabbitsfoot mussel and the Neosho Mucket mussel. Under the Endangered Species Act, the service must consider areas thought to be crucial to a species' conservation and to mark them as a cr...

Challenge to Arkansas gay marriage ban heard LITTLE ROCK (AP) — Advocates of ending Arkansas' ban on same-sex marriage took their case before a Pulaski County Circuit Court judge Thursday, who said at the end of the hearing that he expected to issue a ruling within two weeks. Arguing for the plaintiffs, attorney Jack Wagoner, said that the voter-approved constitutional amendment banning same-sex marriage is itself unconstitutional. The state and federal constitutions guarantee "rights th...

Attorney general rejects wording of alcohol item LITTLE ROCK (AP) — The Arkansas attorney general's office has rejected the wording of a ballot proposal that would make alcohol sales legal in all 75 of the state's counties. Thursday's ruling by Attorney General Dustin McDaniel said there were ambiguities in the text of the proposal. The measure, sponsored by David Couch of Little Rock, needs approval of the ballot wording before backers can begin gathering voter signatures. The attorney gene...

Group marking 150th anniversary of Arkansas battle LITTLE ROCK (AP) — A southern Arkansas group is marking the 150th anniversary of a local Civil War battle with a re-enactment of the Confederate victory, educational programs and what some historians see as a shifting approach to remembering the war that divided a nation. The events this week in Camden, hosted by the Ouachita County Historical Society, are part of a four-year, statewide observance of the Civil War led by the Arkansas Civil War...

Henderson State to open Hot Springs center HOT SPRINGS (AP) — Pending state approval, Hot Springs will soon have its first four-year university presence this fall when Henderson State University opens an education center in partnership with a local community college. The Arkadelphia school is partnering with National Park Community College for the new education center, which will be located in the Landmark Building in downtown Hot Springs, officials announced Wednesday. The Landmark Bu...

Bull Shoals police chief now on leave after arrest BULL SHOALSS (AP) — The mayor of Bull Shoals says the town's police chief has now been placed on administrative leave. Chief Dan Sutterfield was arrested earlier this month on federal charges of using excessive force and falsifying a report in a July 2013 arrest. He had remained working in a limited capacity, but Mayor Bruce Powell said Wednesday that the chief is now on leave. The Baxter Bulletin reports (http://bit.ly/1nsiWC1 ) that Powell n...

Cherokee Nation to build new casino near borderROLAND, Okla. (AP) — A casino in eastern Oklahoma operated by Cherokee Nation Businesses will be replaced with a newer, larger complex featuring a hotel, officials said. The Journal Record reported Thursday the new facility in Roland near the Arkansas border will include a six-story, 125-room hotel and an 87,000-square-foot casino accommodating 850 games with a bar, stage and other entertainment options. The existing casino in Roland now has 6...

Man charged with stealing from church, school VAN BUREN (AP) — Police in Van Buren have arrested a man for allegedly embezzling $94,000 from a church and a school where he handled the organizations' finances. Van Buren police said John Richard Hays, 39, is charged with felony theft. Hays served as treasurer for Vista Free Will Baptist Church and as chief financial officer for Van Buren Christian Academy. Police say the theft took place over four years and that Hays was fired after church ...

Mistrial in Fort Smith trial over woman's death FORT SMITH (AP) — A judge has declared a mistrial in a first-degree murder case over a woman's strangulation after he concluded that a juror introduced new evidence during deliberations. Testimony lasted two days and jurors deliberated three hours Wednesday when the judge was told a juror had a concern. Prosecutors charged 60-year-old Kevyphonh (KEVY-faun) Sounyaphong (SON-ia-fong) in the 2013 death of 50-year-old Sakounsouk (SOCK-un-suk) Vila...

Voter ID law challenged in court by ACLU LITTLE ROCK (AP) — A civil liberties group filed suit Wednesday to block a new Arkansas law requiring voters to show photo identification at the polls before it is enforced for the first time statewide in the primary election next month. The American Civil Liberties Union of Arkansas filed the suit in Pulaski County court on behalf of four voters it says will be harmed by the law, which was approved by the Republican-led Legislature last year....